


try, try again

by triviaseesaw (ladydaredevil)



Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: Established Relationship, Humor, M/M, Marriage Proposal, Post-Canon
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-07-28
Updated: 2017-07-28
Packaged: 2018-12-08 05:37:50
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,529
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11640027
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ladydaredevil/pseuds/triviaseesaw
Summary: “I think we should get married,” Tsukki says, without even looking up from his screen.Tadashi is unimpressed.





	try, try again

**Author's Note:**

> This is short and ridiculous, I have nothing to say for myself except that I like these two and their dynamic.

"I think we should get married," Tsukki says one Thursday evening, as they're both working in their living room. Tadashi's head snaps up, but he's still focused on his screen.  
  
“No.”  
  
Tsukki's not avoiding his gaze, not like he does sometimes when he's being sincere about something and is embarrassed about it. He just... doesn't think this is a conversation worthy of much attention. Like they're talking about what to have for dinner, and not the future of their relationship. The blunt refusal earns him a glance, though.  
  
"No?"  
  
"No, Tsukki."  
  
He frowns, visibly a little thrown, but doesn't press further. Tadashi can't blame him for being confused. He probably expected Tadashi to be thrilled. To be honest, Tadashi would've expected himself to be thrilled, too. It's not like he doesn't _want_ to be married to Tsukki. He's been daydreaming about it since he was… thirteen, maybe. Used to write 'Tsukishima Tadashi' over and over in his notebook, with little hearts and everything (Kageyama had seen it, once, and looked vaguely ill). But he's not a teenager anymore, and he did acquire standards somewhere along the way.  
  
Tadashi tries to go back to his report, and finds that he can't. Silence stretches between them, punctuated by Tsukki's rapid typing, but it's not the same as before, a little too tense for comfort.

Eventually, he sighs and gives in to his curiosity.  
  
"Why? Why did you say that?"  
  
"Well," Tsukki drawls, looking at him this time. "It _is_ usually what people do when they've been in a relationship for a long time and plan on keeping things that way for the foreseeable future."  
  
"Oh."  
  
He hadn't expected that.  
  
He'd expected something about taxes, or advantages at work. He’d thought it was about pissing off some bigoted relative, maybe, or beating someone else to the milestone (presumably Hinata and Kageyama). Granted, it might still have to do with any of those things. His boyfriend doesn't do things for no reason, or even for just one reason.

Still, his answer is a little heartwarming.

But not enough for him to relent.

“Why _now_?” he presses.

“…Shimizu and Yachi sent their invites.”

He’s aware. He spent his lunch break talking Yachi down from her wedding jitters.

“Ah, right, I already told them we were going.”

Tsukki’s answering hum isn’t exactly pleased, but he doesn’t protest. Tadashi will take it.

So this _is_ Tsukki competing with someone. He’s never quite forgiven Yachi for the two months she and Tadashi dated, their third year of high school.

It had been a somewhat desperate attempt by the two of them to get over their respective unattainable crush, and it had made things between him and Tsukki so _weird_ that it was possibly the most awkward period of Tadashi's entire life (which is saying something). It had lasted until Kiyoko-san had come back from college for a visit and had proven herself to be the one with the most sense, out of the four of them, by confessing to Yachi.

Tsukki had looked so stiff at the news, so conflicted, that Tadashi had worried that he liked one of the girls until Tsukki had heaved a frustrated sigh and kissed him to shut him up. And that had been that.

So okay, maybe expecting romance from him now is a little unfair, but—

"So, what, is there somebody else you're planning to marry?" Tsukki prods, probably a little frustrated that things aren’t going according to whatever plan he had.  

"Of course not, but…That wasn't much of a proposal, Tsukki. It’s not something you can half-ass!"

That earns him a raised eyebrow.

"I wasn't aware that you needed wining and dining."

"That's not it!"

“Was I too direct? Should I have said I want you to iron my socks forever, or something? Will you bake me cakes until the cholesterol gets me? Want to make fun of idiots together until one of them loses it and murders us? Play volleyball with me until knee injuries do us part? Wait, I bet Hinata would think that one’s romantic.”

Tadashi can’t help the giggles, even though they’re supposed to be having a _serious conversation_.

“Tsukki, stop that!”

“…Anyway, the point is: proposals are lame.”

Tadashi stares at him, unimpressed.

“Nothing is as lame as not actually trying. We’ve _been over this_.”

Tsukki narrows his eyes, arms crossed over his chest.

“You want me to, what, make restaurant reservations?”

“That’d be nice, but no. I want you to _want_ to get married.”

It’s not a very good explanation, and he gets a dubious expression, but it’s how he feels.

“If I didn’t want to I wouldn’t be asking.”

“I don’t want it to be a—a chore, or anything. I want you to care.”

“… I care.”

Tadashi snorts, amused despite himself by the hesitant tone.

“About marriage? No, Tsukki, you really don’t.” 

There’s silence as his boyfriend considers this, and Tadashi is overwhelmed by the absurdity of the situation, suddenly, flopping onto his back on the couch and covering his mouth to stifle the laughter.

“What?” Tsukki asks, surprised by the shift in mood.

It’s a while before the giggles subside, and he’s wiping tears from his eyes as he answers:

“Oh, nothing. I was just thinking about what teenage me would say, if he knew we were having this conversation.”

That gets him a smirk.

“You wouldn’t have turned me down, then.”

“I’d probably have fainted. I’m really glad we’re not fifteen anymore.”

“Me too.”

Tsukki stands from his seat at their table, and Tadashi straightens up just long enough for him to sit down next to him before dropping his head into his lap with a satisfied sigh. Tsukki’s still thinking, so Tadashi leaves him be.

Eventually he clears his throat.

 “Fine, so I don’t care about marriage. You do, though.”

“I do. So that’s why, if you’re not going to take it seriously I don’t—“

“Shut up, I wasn’t finished. It matters to you, and what you think matters to me.”

“You… care that I care?”

“Yeah.”

He closes his eyes and thinks it over, warmth spreading in his chest as Tsukki’s fingers comb through his hair.

There are a lot of things that Tsukki doesn’t give a damn about. They’ve established that a long, long time ago. To him, moving in together was more about practicality than a Step in their relationship. He remembers anniversaries because he remembers everything, not because they mean anything in particular.

He doesn’t really do holidays, either, even if he’s great at picking gifts when he can be bothered.

If he were any different it would mostly just be weird. Tsukki is Tsukki, and Tsukki isn’t sentimental, and in the grand scheme of things, that really doesn’t matter.  

Because he complains about it but tags along to their high school team reunions, and reminds Tadashi that his mom’s birthday is coming up, and harasses the landlord into fixing their leaky faucets because he worries about mold.

And he’ll marry Tadashi if it makes him happy.

“Okay, then.”

Their gazes meet, and they smile at each other. Tadashi feels a little giddy, a little drunk with it. Tsukki looks – _softer_ than usual.

Tadashi sits up to kiss him, but Tsukki takes the occasion to stand and Tadashi stares up at him, puzzled. There’s something in his eyes and Tadashi is suddenly mildly worried, because Tsukki still hates being thwarted in any way.

What is he going to--?

Tsukki goes down on one knee, and Tadashi feels himself turn _red_.

“Yamaguchi Tadashi—“

“Tsukki! Tsukki, don’t – _Kei._ ”

“You asked for it.”

“I did not!”

“Yamaguchi Tadashi,” he starts over. “We’ve known each other for a really long time and haven’t gotten sick of each other yet, so presumably it’s not gonna happen. Grow old with me.”

“ _Yes_.” The reply is out of his mouth almost instantly, before he can even think of letting Tsukki squirm a little. He throws his arms around Tsukki’s neck and they overbalance a little, one of Tsukki’s hand snapping back to keep them from collapsing, the other clutching at the back of Tadashi’s shirt as they settle together.  

“Good, because I’m never doing that again,” Tsukki mumbles, face hidden against his shoulder. He’s blushing up to his ears and it’s too adorable for words. Tadashi squeezes him tighter.

“Hey, Tsukki?”

“What?” He pulls back and straightens his glasses, looking a little wary, like he’s expecting Tadashi to say something disgustingly sappy.

“I want a dog.”

He blinks, caught off-guard.

“…Sure.”

“Really?”

“I just said so.”

“Alright.”

They lapse into silence, still holding each other.

“So… good talk,” Tsukki says, eventually.

Tadashi snickers, Tsukki snorts, and it’s all downhill from there. 

They must look ridiculous like this, sitting on their living room floor, laughing like when they were kids staying up too late and after a point everything became inexplicably funny.

This is an important moment in their lives. It should probably be a little more dignified.

“We’re so uncool, Tsukki,” he manages between fits. He couldn’t possibly care less, but he feels like it needs to be said.

His _fiancé_ just shrugs at him, and Tadashi loses it again.


End file.
